Date of the report
November 2006
Author of the report
Levett-Therivel sustainability consultants
Purpose of the report
West Midlands Metropolitan District Leaders and Chief Executives commissioned Levett-Therivel to write this report to assess the current draft of the City Region Development (CRDP) to provide:
- a cross-cutting piece for the front of the CRDP which indicates how the CRDP will provide a framework to address climate change and move towards carbon neutrality
- for each of the 5 thematic chapters, what are the opportunities and threats to achieving this
- an indication of what steps they need to take over the next 1/3 months to refine our work on the CRDP to move towards carbon neutrality
Relevance to the region
This report discusses the city region of the West Midland and how it could become an inspiring example and world leader in carbon neutral living. This would be through actions including:
- New buildings requiring minimal external energy;
- Existing buildings upgraded to much higher energy efficiency whenever renovated;
- Excellent amenities in thriving town centres greatly reducing the need to travel, and enabling many more journeys to be made on foot or cycle;
- Excellent public transport reducing the need for car use;
- An integrated decentralised energy system, using biomass, industrial processes and carefully segregated wastes as fuels, delivering both power and heat through local networks to homes, public buildings and companies;
- A thriving low energy business sector, built up on servicing the low energy city region economy, selling worldwide and providing jobs at all levels.
What SWM liked
We like that this report is clear about the priorities behavourial change, maximises technical energy efficiency improvements and maximising the use of renewables over carbon offsetting.
Links and Contact information
For more information contact Roger Levett by phone 0117 973 2418 or email roger@levett-therivel.fsnet.co.uk.
